Wheel chair



-'March 23, 1937. i J LARsEN v 2,074,553

WHEEL CHAIR Filed May 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l .1. LARSEN WHEEL CHAIRMarch 23, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1955 lnvenlor A Home};

Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in wheelchairs and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a device of this character embodying a novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts through the medium ofwhich a patient may be transferred from a-bed thereonto and vice versawithout discomfort and with a minimum of labor.

Another very important object of the inventionis to provide a wheelchair of the aforementioned character which may be conveniently adjustedvertically to the level of beds of different heights.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide awheel chair of the type including adjustable back and leg rests,together with novel means connecting said back and leg rests through themedium of which they may be adjusted in unison or independently, asdesired. Other objects of the invention are to provide awheel chair ofthe character described which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in use,compact, light in weight, attractive in appearance, comfortable andwhich may be manu-. factured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevat1on of a wheel chair constructed inaccordance with the pres ent invention. I

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on the line22 of Figure 1.'

Figure 3 is a. top plan view of the vertically adjustable frame.

Figure 4 is a detail view in :vertical section, taken through a rearportion of the invention.

Figure 5 is a detail view in vertical transverse section, takensubstantially on the line 5'-5' of Figure 2. I

Figure 6 is a view-in vertical longitudinalsection through arear,portion of the device, showing one of the elevating screws.

Figure '7 is a .detail view in front elevation of the bolster.

Referring now to the drawings iii detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises'astationary frame I having mounted beneath its forward end portion abolster designated generally by are provided with operating wheels I0.Mounted on the screws 9 for vertical adjustment is a frame which isdesignated generally by the reference numeral l I, said frame 'I Iincluding side members l2 having. series of notches 13 in the rear endportions thereof. Adjacent each of the notches. I3 in one of the sidemembers l2 are eye screws I4, the purpose of which will be presentlyset,

forth.

Mounted on the forwardportion of the frame II is a seat l5 to the rearend of which a back I I6 is hingedly. connected, as at H. Asubstantially U-shaped support I8 is provided for.re-

"leasably securing the back lGin adjusted position, said support beinghingedly connected, at its ends, to an intermediate portion of said backl6, as at IS. The support I8 is selectively engageable in the notches I3and mounted on said support is a hook 20 engageable in the eye screws l4for preventing disengagement of said support from said notches. whichare engaged in the notches l3 are recessed, as at 2|, (see Figure 4).

The reference numeral 22 designates leg rests which are hingedlymounted, as at 23, on the forward end of the frame I I. Braces 24 arehingedly mounted, as at 25, on the leg rests 22 for support-' ing saidleg rests in adjusted position. The braces 24 extend across thelowermost member 4 ofthe bolster 2 and'have mounted therein pins 26 engageable with said lowermost member 4; for supporting the leg rests 22.The pins 26 are selectively engageable in openings 21 (see Figure 2)which are providedtherefor in the braces 24.

The portions of the support Mounted on the lower end portions of the legrests 22 are interchangeable and invertible foot rests 28. Rigidlysecured to the ends of the foot rests 28 are angular brackets 29 whichare adapted to embrace the leg rests 22 *therebetween. The brackets-29are provided with openings forfthe reception of spring projected pins 30which are slidably mounted in the leg rests'22 for removably mountingthe foot rests '28 thereon.

The reference numeral 3| designates am'i'rests 32, on the back l6.Theforward endsof the'arm rests 3| are hingedly connected, as at 33, tothe which are hingedly mounted at one end, as at upper ends ofsupports-34. Hinges 35 connect the supports 34 to the upper ends of theleg rests 22 and it will be observed that said hinges 35 are secured tothe upper sides of said leg rests 22. 5 Coil springs 36 extend betweenthe arm rests 3i and the supports 34 in a manner to assist in raisingthe back l6.

Hingedly mounted beneath the frame i is a substantially U-shaped support31 which is adl jacent the swivelled rear wheel]. Resilient latches 38depend from the frame i for engagement with the support 31 forreleasably securing said support 31 in raised or inoperative position.The support 31 is of a length to partially support the 15 rear end ofthe chair in a manner to prevent lateral or swinging movement of saidrear end when transferring a patient. In addition, the member 31provides a more stable support for the rear end of the chair than wouldbe possible with 20 the single wheel 1.

Briefly, the operation of the chair is as follows:-

To transfer a patient from a bed to the chair, the back i 6, arm rests3i, supports 38, and the leg 25 rests 22 are swung to a horizontalposition on the frame I I, the support iii, of course, being disengagedfrom the notches I3 to permit this. The chair is then-rolled to aposition closely adjacent one side of the bed and the screws 9 areactuated 30 to secure the desired vertical adjustment. The patient maythen be maneuvered from the bed on to the chair without discomfort.

Of course, after the patient has been placed on the chair the back resti6 may be raised to the desired inclination where it will be supportedby the member i8. When the back i8 is swung upwardly the arm rests 3iarealso raised. This operation also swings the supports 33 upwardly andforwardly in a manner to lower the leg rests aomsos 22. However, shouldit be desired to retain either or both of the leg rests 22in horizontalor raised position, this may be accomplished by simply inserting thepins 23 in the desired openings 21 for engagement with the lowermostcross member 4 of the bolster 2. It willbe observed that the hinges 35will permit swinging movement of the members 22 and 34 independently ofeach other. Should it be desired to raise the foot rests 28 on the legrests 22, the spring actuated pins 30 are pushed inwardly to permit saidfoot rests to be removed and replaced on said leg rests 22 in invertedposition. It may be well to here state that the pins 30 will engage inthe openings provided therefor in the angular brackets 23 when the footrests 23 are in either of the aforementioned positions on the leg rests22. It will be understood, of course, that when the chair is beingrolled from place to place, the support 31 is in raised position.

It is believed that the many advantages of a wheel chair constructed inaccordance with the present invention will be readily understood, andalthough a preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:-

A wheel chair comprising a frame, a back hingedly mounted on the frame,said back having ofiset longitudinal side edge extensions to provideshoulders intermediate its upper and lower edges, arm rests hingedlyconnected to said shoulders at the forward side of the back and anadjustable brace for the back hingedly attached at one end to the edgeof said shoulder at the rear of said back.

JAMES LARSEN.

